Advances in microelectronics have enabled the continued increase in transistor densities of integrated circuits (ICs). Advanced ICs can include hundreds of millions of transistors. The relatively large number of transistors enables circuit designers to integrate a relatively large number of functions.
The design of the chips entails competing factor or considerations, such as speed, power dissipation, and cost. Advances in fabrication techniques, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), have resulted in the scaling of various parameters, such as power supply voltage, threshold voltages, and current-drive capabilities. Designers continually strive to improve device and, hence circuit and system reliability and performance in light of those changes.